50 of the Best Disney Movies of All Time
The studio is brimming with quality fare, but these films are the cream of the happiest crop on earth
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There's so much on the House of Mouse's 2023 docket: Wish, The Marvels, Dashing Through the Snow! All are on their way to the screen later this year. Until then, though, refer to our list of the 50 best Disney movies of all time to keep you and your family entertained.
From super-recent hits so good they're officially all-time favorites and animated delights nearly 100 years old, to inspiring tales with historical significance and immersive concert films from industry vets, the following roundup is the cream of the Magic Kingdom. And because ’tis the season for movie marathons, keep the reels rolling with our selections of totally '80s movies, funny horror movies, and the best comedy films of all time.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
The first fully animated Disney feature film, Snow White and Seven Dwarfs sees a lovely princess exiled by her evil stepmother to the woods where she meets a band of archetyped miners who invite her to live in their abode. There are wicked forces, poisoned fruits, and true love’s kisses—every trope that both gives the House of Mouse its praise and its criticism. But, hey, it was 1937, and outdated happily ever after or not, this superb animated feat is a cornerstone picture for Disney.
One Hundred and One Dalmatians
Our favorite part of Disney’s 1961 doggie delight comes early when the skilled animators pair pup breeds with look-alike owners—because it’s so true. The similarities between canines and their owners can’t be denied. The best part of Dalmatians, however, has to be the villainess. Cruella de Vil, a monster dog-napper who turns adorable critters into outerwear, is what nightmares are made of. Can’t wait to see what Emma Stone does with her origin story.
Fantasia
Not so much a winner with the little ones, Fantasia is an orchestral treat for their parents and anyone who appreciates the works of virtuoso composers including Bach, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky. A euphonic cartoon starring, of course, Disney’s most famous mouse, it blends classic music with eight sequences of innovative animation, concluding with a moody Chernabog in “Night on Bald Mountain”—who, by the way, has his own live-action adaptation in the works.
Cinderella
No matter how many decades or feminist values we put between ourselves and the fairytales brimming with antiquated ideologies, we can’t help but remain under the spell of the centuries-old tale of Cinderella and the bibbidi-bobbidi-boo enchantment of Disney’s animated masterpiece. A three-time Oscar nominee in 1950, it’s only about an hour long and stars some of the Walt’s most adorable creatures akin to Mickey and Minnie.
Beauty and the Beast
We could get all technical and speak to the game-changing ballroom feat, blending hand-drawn animation with computer-generated technology as seamlessly as our storied heroine glides through the scene with her petulant man-beast, as the reason for this 1992 Best Picture nominee making it onto our list. But, really, the vocational accomplishments take a backseat to the grandeur sing-alongs and inner-beauty love story that bolster this tale as old as time.
The Lion King
Mel Gibson, Kenneth Branagh, Simba: When it comes to celebrated Hamlet adaptations, we’ll take our Shakespearean tragedy served by a cartoon lion and his jocular warthog and meerkat buddies. Voiced by vocal duo Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Matthew Broderick, Simba comes of age and kinghood in the African Pride Lands after learning his Uncle Scar killed his father to obtain the proverbial throne. A two-time Oscar winner for its original music and score, the film still has The Best opening sequence of any Disney film.
The Little Mermaid
Disney music writing duo Alan Menkin and Howard Ashman secured a pair of Academy statues for their work on the underwater fairy tale about an unapologetic, rebellious mermaid named Ariel who not only has the most beautiful singing voice, but also is willing to trade it for a pair of legs to walk on land with the prince she’s loved from below sea level. Conflict comes courtesy of Ursula, an evil sea witch who imprisons merfolk in a polyps garden, and who has cast a spell we’re still under today. We can’t not watch it if it’s on.
The Princess and the Frog
In a departure from the computer-generated animation our senses have been conditioned to perk up to, the 2009 production of The Princess and the Frog saw Disney revert back to its time-tested 2D hand-drawn technique, and with an African-American princess for the first time ever. A twist on the Brothers Grimm’s The Frog Prince, it follows Tiana, an aspiring New Orleans chef who kisses a frog and becomes one herself, and has more flavor in a single scene than some movies have in their entire reels.
Chang Can Dunk
Chang is a 16-year-old band dude who believes that learning to dunk will elevate his status. Egged on by his schoolmates and coached by a former baller, Chang sets out to make his dream a reality. But this isn't your typical underdog redemption tale. Sporting a narrative zhooshed up with elements of the immigrant experience and scoring Lena Waithe as a producer, writer/director Jingyi Shao's debut takes home the W.
Chevalier
Not all of Disney's offerings star chatty critters or angsty teens. In fact, this gem features Luce's Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the first African composer to attain widespread fame. A virtuoso of the violin and master of the fencing foil, this 18-century French Renaissance man left an indelible mark on both the world of music and the art of dueling. Throw in an ill-fated affair and costumes with swagger, and you have a winner.
Flamin' Hot
Eva Longoria makes her feature debut behind the camera with a zesty comedy about a Frito-Lay janitor who sets the industry ablaze with his idea for a certain spicy finger food known as Flamin' Hot Cheetos. Eager to reach the brand's underserved Latino population and inspired by the flavor-dust bomb on Mexican street corn, family man Richard Montañez goes from rags to riches. Now, the snack food's facts are fuzzy, but Longoria's vision is as sharp as a chef's knife.
Prom Pact
Anya Adam's prom-com grows on you. That's because the director, whose credits include Black-ish, Ginny & Georgia, and Roar, knows how to balance humor with heart while also offering a fresh spin on a well-tread genre. Starring Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Milo Manheim, and Margaret Cho, this teen dream follows Mandy, a senior whose Harvard future is begrudgingly linked to her plans for prom. And, of course, there are plenty of '80s-inspired promposals on display.
World's Best
When it comes to solving for X, Prem Patel is a whiz. But when he finds out he has hip-hop in his DNA, this little math whiz drops his pencil and picks up a mic. Turning the halls of his school into a rap video that would make Missy Elliott proud, Prem and the ghost of his rapper dad (who died when he was five) set the tempo and unleash the verses. Let's just say the probability of you and your kiddos digging this Hamilton producer-approved comedy is 100%.
The Mighty Ducks
Something happened in 1992 when Emilio Estevez signed on to play Coach Bombay, the crabby leader of a peewee ice hockey team that included a young Josh Jackson. And that something is: magic. Though this underdog tale about a crew of shabby misfits who quack-attack their opponents with flying V formations and other slick tricks is arguably derivative, the instant classic struck a chord with audiences and remains a bona fide addition to the canon of sports films.
Queen of Katwe
Ten years old and already a vital member of her family, helping her mother (Lupita Nyong’o) care for their kin in the slums of Kampala, Uganda, Phiona Mutesi (Madina Nalwanga) finds her release when she’s making moves on the chess board. Convinced by her coach (David Oyelowo) that she’s good enough to be a champion, she just may be able to call checkmate on a life of poverty for her and her family. It’s beautiful and touching addition to director Mira Nair’s film trove.
Remember the Titans
Denzel Washington stars as Coach Herman Boone in this true-story sports flick about football, unity, and racial harmony. The drama follows the T.C. Williams Titans over the course of their first season as an integrated squad in 1970s Virginia, with stars including Ryan Gosling, Donald Faison, and Wood Harris suiting up to play. Hayden Panettiere, Kate Bosworth, and Will Patton round out the starry cast. Also worth noting: the triumphant soundtrack bopping to The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, and more.
The Parent Trap
The original Parent Trap, a rosy rom-com about reconciliation after divorce, stars Hayley Mills as unknowing twin sisters Susan and Sharon. And though the bright-eyed, blonde-topped actress who we’ll forever be grateful to for giving us Pollyanna is fantastic in the dual role, we can’t help but divert our appreciation to Maureen O’Hara, who plays the girls’ mother, when viewing the 1961 film in adulthood. O’Hara’s crazy, sexy, cool performance just gets better with age.
Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins trumps every queen, king, princess, and Prince Charming in Disney’s magical kingdom. She can fly, do spells, and dance with cartoon penguins—no true love’s kiss necessary. A timeless classic about an enchanting nanny adored by critics and fans alike, it stars Julie Andrews in an inimitable performance only Emily Blunt could complement, and Dick Van Dyke in a role that’s comfort food for the soul.
Old Yeller
To us, Old Yeller—Disney’s family frontier classic that packs an emotional wallop of a climax—conjures memories of hiding a tear-stained face from classmates in grade school on movie day. Perhaps, it reminds you of childhood movie nights spent nuzzling with your parents. But no matter how old we get and no matter how many times we watch the tale about a teen and the stray yellow pup he grows to love, based on the seminal novel by Fred Gipson, Old Yeller just. Destroys. Us.
Ratatouille
Look, no one asked for rats playing with their food, but the animators at Pixar know what they’re doing. Skilled manipulators of the head and heart, the clever animation studio known for stunning toons ingrained with a depth of humor and emotion delivered on both fronts with Ratatouille. A Parisian feast for the senses, it’s a *chef’s kiss* of a watch about a vermin named Remy who lends his foodie talents to a cook trying to impress a girl and a food critic. Pop open a bottle of Bordeaux with this one.
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